In Another Life
by Kane Shi Megami
Summary: Another possiblity to the traditional Inuyasha story line. KagInu in the future, slight inukik at the begining but Kikyo is 21 and inu is 5 : Reviews are always appreciated. This can stand as a oneshot.


Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or its characters, I only write about them to satisfy the voices in my head.

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The sound of many children's laughter and squeals filled the air, the sun embracing them all in its warmth amplifying the bright Monday morning at Shikon Elementary playground. The swing sets full and the boys running around pretending to be pirates made the figure underneath the shade of a huge tree smile. She had her long legs tucked underneath for modesty; her red skirt was long but still made her feel scandalous to be stuck out in such a manner. Her white long sleeve shirt was a bit warm but it was against school codes to wear sleeveless attire. Her lengthy midnight colored hair was swept back neatly in a bun despite the wind feeing a few tresses.

She lifted up her book again after making sure the students were all playing nice and tried to begin reading but was suddenly cut off when one of her students flung themselves at her. Smiling she embraced the five year old puppy dog boy who more times than not caused her trouble, but had discovered recently was done only for attention.

"Inuyasha, what are you doing here, are the other boys playing nice?" She asked suddenly concerned. Inuyasha had transferred here a month after school had begun and wasn't really accepted by any of the other demon students because of his mixed blood. Unfortunately after many fights in the playground, the others seemed to get a long well with the hanyou.

"Keh, of course they are Ms. Kikyou, if not I'd teach them a lesson," he said proudly demonstrating a bit by swinging his fist.

"Inuyasha you know that I do not tolerate fighting, you should always try to use your words first." She responded trying not to smile at his sudden put out expression. The young hanyou dressed in once new blue jeans and a bright red shirt plopped himself next to the teacher crossing his arms.

"Is something the matter?" She questioned, Inuyasha had often struck up many conversations with his teacher and sometimes acted more like a 15 year old, but mainly during recess he played.

"Ms. Kikyou, will you be my mate?" His question was spoken so softly that it might have passed by unnoticed if she hadn't been paying such close attention. She allowed herself a small laugh before covering his hand with her own.

"Inuyasha that is such a sweet thought but I'm twenty one and you're only five, you have your whole life ahead of you to find your mate."

He stood suddenly sticking out his chest in the process, "But my Daddy was 150 when he married my Mama and she was only 17! So you see because I have demon blood in me its okay!"

She laughed again unable to conceal it, "But don't you think that girls are yucky? You said so yourself last week when I placed you with Sango during reading time."

"Yeah but that's Sango-chan, she's okay now and besides she let Miroku give her a kiss on the cheek so they're boyfriend and girlfriend now. All the other girls are yucky though, but not you, you're cool." He said the last part giving him a light blush on his cheeks.

"Oh Inuyasha," she said pulling his arm down so that he would once again be at her level, the boy seemed unnerved, "Sweetie I'm sorry to tell you this but I'm already engaged to someone but I know that you'll find the girl that's just for you when you get older."

"But Ms. Kikyou you're not married yet and your scent isn't like Mama and Daddy's so that means that you can still change your mind." He confirmed nodding as if telling her the absolute truth.

"My scent Inuyasha what do you mean?" She asked suddenly afraid of his answer, surely he didn't mean what she thought he did. _Oh my god can he tell if I've BEEN with Onigumo?_

"Never mind that Inuyasha, why don't we go call everyone and head inside okay?" She began rising up with the aid of her doting student but before she could walk on ahead he stopped her, "Ms. Kikyou I know that you're going to marry someone else but I promise I'll be your protector!" He smiled with his fangs poked out and all.

"Protect me Inuyasha? What are you talking about?"

"Well since your future mate isn't here at school, I'll protect you here from the other kids like that nasty flea bagged Kouga."

"Inuyasha it isn't nice to call the other students names like that-

"And when you go home than your mate can do it that way you'll always be safe okay teacher?"

She sighed, trying to ignore the fact that he had completely blown her off she smiled back, "Okay Inuyasha protect me if you must."

"Alrriiighhtt!" He shouted as he ran down the hill to collect the students switching into bossy Inuyasha mode. "Alright you weak demons get back in line we're going back into class!"

Kikyo shook her head smiling as she followed his path. _Such a sweet kid, what he doesn't know is that my future husband is who I need protecting from._

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It was the next day and Inuyasha sat patiently at his desk waiting for Ms. Kikyo to come to class, he'd brought her an apple to start his new job as protector. That's what his Dad had said he'd done for his mother so he thought to protect Ms. Kikyo he had to make sure she was well fed.  Smiling he looked up when he heard the door open but was disappointed when he saw Mrs. Kaede walk through the door.

Mrs. Kaede was the school principal and disciplinarian he'd gotten to know a bit too personally and she was also the mother of Ms. Kikyo. "What are you doing here babba and where's Ms. Kikyo?"

"Inuyasha I will not stand to be disrespected like this in my own school you will address me by my title. And I'm here to tell you that Ms. Kikyo is no longer going to be teaching here."

"WHAT! What do you mean you old hag!" Inuyasha shouted jumping out of his seat, not really caring what the other students thought.

"Inuyasha you will stand in the hallway while I address the class." Kaede said, her beady brown eyes piercing Inuyasha's.

"Keh." He muttered walking out of the class and slamming the door. After sitting against the wall the tried to listen in on the conversation but found he could not. There were demons in this school and the walls had to be made to keep the noise in the classroom otherwise no one would be able to concentrate._ I wonder why Ms. Kikyo isn't here?_

His head snapped up when he heard the door open and looked up to Mrs. Kaede. "Inuyasha I thought we had discussed your outbursts and attitude. I don't want to have to call your parents again."

"Keh. So where is Ms. Kikyo anyway?" he asked in a much more civilized tone Kaede noticed.

"She got married yesterday and they moved to Kyoto."

"But why so quickly? I didn't even get to say goodbye! Why'd she have to move to Kyoto anyhow it's so stinky there."

Kaede let a sigh, Kikyo's brash decisions and quick actions had left her terribly worried about her daughter's happiness. Kikyo wasn't usually like this so that only left Onigumo's influence. In her book that man was evil's incarnate. "Inuyasha I know this seems sudden to you but it feels that way to me too. But we must trust Ms. Kikyo's decision neh? Don't we want Kikyo's happiness?"

The young boy stood up and crossed his arms "Keh," he said as he looked away from Kaede. He didn't want her to know how much this was hurting him. At first he'd thought that she'd left cause of him, maybe he'd done something wrong, but as it turns out it was that damn mate of hers. _Why did you leave Ms. Kikyo? I can't protect you from here…_

"Inuyasha would you please step back into the classroom, Ms. Kanna is going to be here soon, she'll be your replacement teacher for the rest of the year. Try to be nice to her okay? You might like her as much as Ms. Kikyo."

"Keh whatever she probably stinks," sneering he went back into the classroom slamming the door once again.

20 years later(yes 20)

"Inuyasha! Are you even paying attention to me?" a tenor voice yelled into his very sensitive ears.

"Damn Miroku are you trying to make me go deaf! Shit this city is bad enough alright so I don't need you to make things worse." Inuyasha practically yelled, they were walking in downtown Tokyo on the way to the hospital and they were caught in the rush of morning traffic.

"Not at all my friend, I was merely asking you if you were still going to join Sango, Karou and I for dinner tonight. Sango's been asking why you haven't been by anymore, she thinks it's because she pushed Shiori on you the last time we went out."

"Keh, pull your schemes on someone else Miroku. I've spoken to Sango since _that_ incident and I told her I forgave her. What you really want is someone to join you in that house full of estrogen, especially since Sango's pregnant again."

The dark haired man with a ponytail feigned shock, "Inuyasha we've known each other all of our lives how can you possibly-

"Give it a rest; just tell her I'll swing by next week." He took another drink of his black coffee from his styrofoam cup. The truth was that he didn't want to go to dinner with them because lately Sango had become his annoying little matchmaker demanding that he date more. He of course had told her that she was stupid in thinking he wanted to settle down so young, he wouldn't age like they would and there was no point.

"You know Inuyasha, Sango really does mean well. She just wants to see you happy and the fact that you turn down every girl she tries isn't helping her mood swings." Miroku supplied biting into his chocolate filled doughnut.

"It ain't my fault they all stink." He supplied even though he sounded more like a kid, "Those things are going to kill you, you know."

"Ah but you say so yourself humans die young, I might as well enjoy life."

The double doors opened up letting in the smell of sickness and chemicals fly through the air. He'd never really get use to it, he'd been a doctor for only a few months, but the smell had been permanently engraved in his head when his mother got sick when he was only 8. She had recovered thankfully, most of it because of her bond to his father, but it still touched him to make sure that if she ever fell ill again, he'd be there to cure her.

"Alright my friend, I have an appointment his morning with a client, I'll see you at lunch." Pushing the elevator button his companion was off in own world again.

"Oh, and Inuyasha, you're 25, try acting like it sometimes you have your whole life to act like a grumpy old man with a stick up-

ding

"Yeah later lecher."

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Picking up a file he began his morning rounds and the monotony that was his life.

It wasn't until half an hour before his meeting with Miroku that he caught an alluring scent. Stopping his reading of a file he closed it and sniffed again….. There was something so oddly familiar about it…..

In his 25 years of life he'd only smelt a handful of scents that he could tolerate. His mother's, dad's, Miroku's, Sango's and their little girl's Karou. And now here was an eerie scent that struck a déjà vu chord.

Stalking around the 12th floor he walked into each room trying to find the source, when it only got stronger he froze. He knew that scent…..but it couldn't be hers. She was dead.

23 years ago his favorite teacher Kikyo had been killed outside Kyoto central, no clues were found and no one was ever charged with her murder. The only reason it made the news was because her husband Onigumo Naraku was a business tycoon. He'd personally made an effort to forget her, inu-youkai didn't make oaths much and when they did they followed through with them. The fact that he was five at the time and told her he'd protect her didn't matter, he'd failed her. She'd been the only teacher he'd ever had that made him feel normal and not call out the fact that he was a hanyou, and she as dead.

But the smell was still here, sakura blossoms mixed with a sweet vanilla…but wait it had a slight difference……this was sakura blossoms with…jasmine? Walking around a corner he spotted the source and froze. There in front of him was a girl that looked remarkably like Kikyo, or at least how Kikyo looked, if she hadn't died…

She was wearing a khaki skirt with matching clogs that were noticeably high but they shaped her calves in an enticing manner…..a deep blue halter completed her outfit, her charcoal locks weren't super straight like most Japanese women but had a soft wave in them. No make-up was on her face but she didn't need it. Concentrating on her face he felt a weird constriction in his chest. _God she's beautiful._

Giving her another once over he noticed that she may have looked like the Kikyo he remembered, she was completely different than her. The Kikyo he remembered never wore her hair down, never showed any skin and wasn't as open as this girl.

This girl seemed to be an open book, a good looking open book. She was currently chatting it up with an annoying red head receptionist on the floor. "Thanks again Ayame, I'm so glad Kaede's going to be okay."

Wait….did she just say Kaede? Walking up to the two unsuspecting women he casually put down his folder and made eye contact with the stranger and smiled. She instantly went from a naturally glowing complexion to blushing crimson, but smiled back anyway.

"Ayame do you have the file on the Houjo boy?" he asked trying to send the bubbly girl away. Instead she snorted and threw her hand over her shoulder, "Its right in front of your face there stupid."

Knowing her rude behavior he simply brushed her off, "In that case go get me the Simoske file from the back."

"You're such a slave driver," she murmured before heading back anyway. "It was great to see you again Kagome, I'm glad your Kaede gonna be fine!"

"Thanks Ayame, I'll see you tomorrow!" The girl tossed back, _jeez even her voice is nice _he thought glad that the interruption was gone

"This may seem forward but you wouldn't be talking about Kaede Higurashi would you?"

The girl's natural color was back and seemed that light radiated off of her, "Yeah that's the one."

"I can't believe that old babba's still alive," he mused aloud. _How old would she be now, I haven't seen her in-_

"Éxcuse me, but that's kind of rude, my grandmother's not that old," she pouted.

If he'd been human he was sure he would have either passed out or fallen on his ass, but thankfully his demonic blood was keeping him from making a fool out of himself.

"Kaede-babba is YOUR GRADMOTHER!" He hadn't meant to shout but the new information had thrown him for the biggest loop of his life.

"Yeah, look I'm sorry who are you and how do you know my grandma?" her words had manners but her tone clearly radiated annoyance.

He laughed, her eyes sparkled more when she was angry and he couldn't help that her posture clearly said, 'who the fuck are you'. "I apologize, I just knew her a long time ago is all. What room is she in; I'd like to stop in a visit."

She was suspicious, that much was clear but she brushed it off in seconds, _this girl is too trusting, "_She's in room 1214."

He didn't wait for her before he walked towards the room, but he hoped she'd follow. Knocking on the door twice before walking in he smelt her before he saw her. Standing over the bed he studied her, she had aged well for a human, "Well I'll be damned you are still alive!"

The slightly over middle aged woman opened her still young brown eyes and saw a man with very familiar dog ears.

"That was so rude of you walking in here like that; my grandma could have been asleep!" The young woman shouted closing the door behind her then looking over her grandma.

"I'm a doctor, that's how we do procedure here," he replied coolly, there was something about this girl and her temper that just called to him.

"Kagome, it's alright child, Inuyasha is a very old friend of mine." The old woman's voice wasn't as sure and strong as it once had been and he doubted she could strike fear into the hearts of children like she could have twenty years ago.

"Wow you must be old then," the girl taunted before sitting beside Kaede on the opposite side of him.

_The nerve of this girl! How old do I look, geeze this is silver hair not grey!_

"Inuyasha, I'm surprised to see you here, you became a doctor then?" The old woman was desperately trying to avoid a feud between the other two occupants, Kagome's temper could match Inuyasha's if he hadn't changed since the last time she'd seen him.

"Yeah first year, so what are you in for babba when did you get here?" _Yeah I bet she's surprised, I've come a long way since elementary school._

"Ah, last night I had a bit of a spill down the shrine steps, but the tests came back fine so I'll be released today."

"Glad to hear it babba, the sooner you get out of here the better." Walking over to the chart at the edge of the bed he scanned over the chart noticing that the two other women were talking to each other silently with nods and mouthing words. When he looked up the girl was a nice pink shade again. Taking the pen from his coat he signed the bottom of the page.

"I'll get Ayame to send it your release papers with a wheel chair. Take better care of yourself babba and stay away from those stairs; you're not as young as you use to be."

The girl opened her mouth to shout something again but the old woman's laughter stopped her, "I am well aware of that Inuyasha and I appreciate the concern. How are you parents doing, well I hope."

"Keh, they're fine. Listen babba I'm in no mood for a reunion so I better not see you in here again." Clicking his pen shut he put it back in his pocket he walked out the room.

He was about to walk away when he heard the conversation flowing from the room, "Grandma I don't know why you let him talk to you like that! You never let anyone talk down to you."

"Kagome dear, I've known Inuyasha for a long time; believe it or not he's been this way since he was 5. In fact he seemed to have gotten a bit soft." She let out a chuckle and he couldn't help but smile too. _She's the one that got soft, I'm just more mature._

"Really? Well, I guess it's okay as long as you're not offended……So tell me Grandma was he a student at your school?"

He smirked, so he had caught the girl's attention after all.

"Yes he was, he got into trouble from time to time but his friends kept him grounded. In fact he was a student of your mother's too."

The world seemed to fade away at an unbelievable pace filling with black…. _This girl was Kikyo's daughter? But the news never mentioned her, although it would explain the scent._

"Really wow…..So how old is he? I know he's an inu-hanyou so he could be anywhere from 15 to 150."

He was a bit surprised that she had picked that much up from only being in his presence for a few minutes.

"My my Kagome, has he sparked your interest so?" the old woman teased and he was sure if he opened the door he would find her blushing.

"Give me a break grandma it's not like I want to marry him or anything."

"Marriage Kagome, my you must really like him."

"Grandma!" More laughing came from the room but he quickly walked away to find Ayame. This new information was surprising and he didn't really know what to think.

Like it? Don't let me know!


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